About Us

The West Virginia Vipers was founded in 2015 by Bryce Timberlake to provide high school students without school-affiliated teams the opportunity to play competitive scholastic hockey. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Vipers have grown into a program that serves players from West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, including homeschool, cyber, and private school students who do not have a team to call their own.

In 2019, the Vipers expanded to include a Middle School program, which made an immediate impact by winning the West Virginia State Championship in its inaugural season. That same year, the Vipers made history as the first high school team from West Virginia to compete in the USA Hockey High School National Championships in Ohio.

Today, the Middle School team competes in the Northern Virginia School Hockey League (NVSHL), while the High School team has competed in the Capital Scholastic Hockey League (CSHL) and continues to play a competitive schedule that includes non-league games against teams from the Monocacy Valley Hockey League (MVHL) and other Northern Virginia high school programs.

With only six high school hockey teams in the state—one in Charleston, four in Wheeling, and one in Morgantown—the Vipers are committed to growing the game of hockey in West Virginia and expanding opportunities for student-athletes. The team’s home rink is the Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex, with hopes that future development in Martinsburg, WV will further support the sport in the region.

Beyond the ice, the Vipers are a family-centered organization built on camaraderie, sportsmanship, and lasting relationships. This is best reflected in the annual Alumni Game, where more than 40 former players return each year—proof of the strong bonds formed through the program.

The Vipers motto, “Once a Viper… always a Viper,” represents the pride, connection, and lifelong community shared by players, families, and coaches.